Thomas LeBlanc is a Business Intelligence Consultant/Data Warehouse Architect in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He uses his 25+ years in IT to help develop OLTP systems with normalized databases for high-performing T-SQL and end-to-end dimensional data marts using SSIS, SSAS, PPS, and Excel. His SQL Server certifications include MCSA 12, MCITP 08 BI and DBA, MCITP 2005 DBA, and MCDBA 2000. As a PASS volunteer, he is current chair of the Excel BI virtual chapter, past chair of the Data Architecture virtual chapter, and past virtual chapter mentor. He has helped the Baton Rouge SQL Server User Group with SQLSaturdays and speaks at local IT meetings.

Monday morning I hope to have breakfast will some SQL friends (Rob) and head to Rob Farley’s Pre-con on Fixing Queries with Advanced T-SQL constructs. I saw a session on 24 Hours of Pass by Rob, and realized I need to learn from this guy. He seems to have some real good customer/employer experience with queries, plus a dynamic personality. I like the fact his abstract says there will be not much PowerPoint

Monday night Andy Warren and Steve Jones have a meet and greet social that I hope to attend with a new Summit person I encouraged to attend. Hopefully, I get to see John from West Virginia that night. Cool dude!!!

Tuesday is full of social activities with SQL people that volunteer on different levels. First, 8am meeting with Virtual Chapter leaders. I am the Co-Chair with Lorra Newton on the PASS Data Architecture VC. After that, there is a meeting of SQLSaturday people up until lunch. The chair of local PASS chapters meet in the afternoon, and I am going to try and represent the Baton Rouge chapter for William Assaf and Patrick Leblanc. I really hope to meet some new faces in the SQL Server world during this day. There is always someone new that is so fired up about helping the community. I love being around these people of just listen and encourage.

Tuesday night is the Quiz bowl and Welcome reception which is always entertaining.

In addition to Quiz Bowl, Tuesday night is the best evening at Pass with SQLServerCentral.com and RedGate Casino Night. Steve Jones is a great guy to be around and SQL Server Central is where I got my first look at how giving the SQL Server community is with information. Thanks Steve, Andy and Brian!!!

If I do not get to blog the summit keynotes, I will skip the first keynote and go to the Lab and play around with Denali. These hands on labs are a great way to introduce new stuff. I will go to the Keynote on Friday with David DeWitt - http://www.sqlpass.org/summit/2011/SummitContent/Keynotes.aspx. Maybe Thursday morning I will go chat with the SQL First Aid station and just listen in on some debugging. If you have a problem, this is the place to be to get Microsoft Support to assist. I have used these people with replication problems in the past.

Wednesday starts the 3-day summit with 75, 90 and 1/2 day sessions. It is really hard to pick, but here goes.

Wednesday is the Exhibitor Reception and I need to get with Quest people because my new employer uses SpotLight. Still need to say hi to Confio who have Ignite, the best Wait State performance monitor around.Thursday, October 13, 2011

Thursday night I am taking the night off, have some dinner and rest for my presentation on Friday afternoon. I might go by the Community Appreciation Party sponsored by Microsoft for a quick bite. Friday, October 14, 2011

Friday night find some people to have dinner and wind down, maybe blog some about the Summit. This is definitely the best week of training and networking I have ever experienced. Please go if you ever get a chance.

Saturday I travel home and hopefully I get some sleep on the plane and get some idea how LSU is doing against Tennessee. GEAUX TIGERS!!!